Midnight Enchantment: The Review

Own purchase

By Anya Bast

A quest for freedom may be derailed by their intense attraction... 
Niall Quinn, mage and the finest thief in the Black Tower, is the fae's best hope for freedom. Only he stands a chance of tracking down and retrieving the missing bosca fadbh pieces from the Summer Queen. But he meets his match in Elizabeth Cely Saintjohn, who has taken control of the pieces on the Summer Queen's behalf—and has refused to give them up. 
Elizabeth is an asrai, a rare English water fae, and she may be the only one in Piefferburg stealthier than Niall. She has her own reasons for guarding the two pieces and wanting the walls of Piefferburg to remain intact—even if it means denying her fae sisters and brothers their freedom. Her mother's life depends on it. 
Torn between his duty to obtain the pieces at any cost—and the shocking lust Elizabeth has stirred in him—Niall must convince Elizabeth to surrender the pieces, or else he may have no choice but to destroy her and all she holds dear.

Hello everyone, sorry for my extended hiatus, things round here got a tad busy and well, life threw me over its shoulder and scampered off into the jungle! But I am still here, and alive and trying to get back to my blogging. So here goes, review number one and a review of a series which I have loved. This is the last book in the series and did it disappoint? No, absolutely not, it was great! One thing did disappoint me, and that was simply that it was the last in the series, I even tweeted Anya Bast to ask, this was her reply,   "For now. I tied it up, no loose ends...but I'm thinking v. seriously about a spin off series. Love that world."  


I know! How exciting would that be, so many characters I would love to hear more about: but look at me I am getting distracted. You want to know about this book and more that just simply, it is good and you need to read it. Even if that does cover the basics. ;)


I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I have been fascinated by the Quinn brothers since I first came across Ronan's story in All I Want for Christmas a few years ago and throughout the other stories we have had glimpses of his brother Niall, strong, quiet, stealthy, intelligent, secretive and sexy! A man/mage/fae I definitely wanted to get to know better and in this book we did. We got to know the man behind the magic, not just the exterior he projects to others but the depth of caring which dwells in his core. Truly a man for all seasons. 


Elizabeth is an intricate character and someone you understand from the outset, and really you need to, she his hiding what the fae need to escape their prison, we need to understand her motivations and be with her whilst she gives Niall the run around. And in my opinion we do understand her, we understand her innocence and fear of what might happen all whilst we understand Niall's need to steal them from her and return them to the Shadow Queen. It puts us in a unique position between them, the perfect place to watch their growing relationship, to watch as it shifts and becomes more, to watch as it becomes about salvation of themselves and not just salvation of their race.


The plot is pacey and intricate which keeps you reading, the end is action packed and pleasing, and with a few surprises. All the usual gang make an appearance which is great, what I really liked was getting to see the depth of the relationship of Aislinn and Gabriel who were the protagonists of the first novel, looking at how they had grown into their respective roles and how their love had deepened.


There are some really fun parts of the novel too, ones that make you laugh, squirm and go awww. One of my favourite fun bits was when Niall eats Elizabeth's Mum's cookies! Truthfully it was. Hehehe.


A great end to the series, loose ends are tied up and the 'hint' and the end made me smile, I am just sad it had to end. If you are looking for a really worthwhile fae series, please, give these books a try.

I give Midnight Enchantment 4.5 frillies out of 5, a great read I wish could have gone on longer.

Twisted Up: The Review Erotic Reading & S.O.T.M.

ARC Review from author

By Lissa Matthews


One rope. Three days. And two hearts on the line. 


Justin has had enough. Ella, the woman who healed his broken heart, has been cancelling on him for two months straight. Sure, she’s busy with her job, which has her traveling far and wide. But that never stopped her from sharing nights of trivia, long conversations and blazing hot sex—until now. Truth to tell, he misses their easy friendship, the way her sighs fill his ear as he fills her body. 

What he can’t figure out is, what’s changed? 

At work, Ella finds it easy to talk to rooms full of strangers. Once back at her lonely apartment, though, she’s back to her painfully shy self—until Justin. Their chance meeting grew over the months into a year-long affair, but she can’t shake the feeling that rejection and pain are just around the corner. Best thing to do? End it now, before their intimacy digs too deep. 

Suddenly he’s at her door with a length of neon-green rope and a naughty proposition, daring her to say no. Just how good could it be? There’s only one way to find out… 
Product Warnings 

The sheets are tangled, the hat is crumpled, and the jeans are worn low on the hips. The cowboy is hot, determined, and helpless in the face of bunny slippers. Readers may need extra batteries to get this one out of their system.


If you want a fun loving sexy cowboy for Christmas then look no further than Justin, as it says above he is hot, determined and helpless when it comes to bunny slippers. Another great novella from Lissa Mathews with characters who make you care for them and I really liked it. Loved Justin, he was keen and rough and loveable; I loved how Ella's concerns reflect those of a lot of people and the fact the age difference was there but not a big deal. I liked the characters so much I invested in their story, wanted them to succeed and I really liked the ending. 

What we do get in this novella is an insight into the climax of their relationship, will it work or break down. After meeting in a bar and chatting online as well as the odd weekend away Ella is pulling away and Justin wants more, when we first meet them he is on her doorstep and telling her how he feels and what he wants. The Ultimatum moment. It is tense and sexy and I would have ran to his truck had it been me in that hallway!

Justin is a really complex character and that comes out in their discussion about her need for hard quick sex, straight to the main course by pass starters and who needs desert? Yet he keeps up with the slow loving and is very thorough with it. Ella seems confident yet a bit damaged, she puts on a cloak of clothing and make up and becomes her job when she is there, but in relationships she is scared, of being hurt, being alone, being led down the garden path; and I think a lot of women will equate to that emotion after a relationship or marriage just fades and turns to friendship.

She is kinky but a conformist. He likes PDA and is kiny too, that friction makes them interesting.

The whole thing about him not being circumcised made me giggle too. From a non American point of view it is really interesting as most men in Northern Europe aren't, however I know most in USA are. So that was fun and interesting.

What I want to know is will there be a future book about his brother or friends?

I hope so!

Oh and the sex was hot. with a capital Hot! *wink*

I give Twisted up 4 frillies out of 5, a definite damp panty read and my smut of the month! Every girl needs a cowboy Christmas.

Immortal Rider: The Review

own purchase

By Larissa Ione
Sexy, powerful, and immortal, Limos is on a crash course with destiny. She’s been marked as Satan’s bride and her jealous fiancé wants her all to himself. The only way this Horseman can keep herself—and everyone else—safe is to keep her distance. But not even Limos can save herself from the secrets she’s kept . . . or resist the seductive allure of one very brave human. 

Arik Wagner knows the saying “love hurts” better than most, yet he never thought stealing a kiss from Limos would land him in Hell. Literally. It takes all his military training to survive the demon torture, but once he’s topside, Arik realizes that the agony has just begun. With the Apocalypse looming and Satan demanding his bride, will Arik and Limos surrender to the desire smoldering between them? Or will giving in to their passion unleash hell on earth?


Ok lets start with whether or not I liked it, I DID! In fact I liked it so much I have already been online and ordered the next book Lethal Rider, yup I am an addict and I know I have a problem, so why did I like it so much?


There are a few reasons, firstly the characters- not only are they well developed but if you have been reading this series from the start of the demonica books you know them inside out, yet Ione still manages to surprise you with secrets, secrets which keep you guessing and wondering, some which are revealed in the story and some which are dangled over your head and happily skip in front of you and all the way to the next novel. Arik and Limos do take centre stage in the novel but it does focus on all of the horseman and we do get to know Thanatos quite intimately which, I have to say, I loved! Limos is a great contradiction, fierce and girly rolled into one and unsure of herself and what she wants. In the meantime Arik knows exactly what he wants, Limos,  and as a result is in quite a predicament, but throughout it all he is strong and passionate and protective and we just love him for it.


Whilst this is Limos' book it is in my opinion the second journal of the horsemen charting the development in all of their stories and this is another reason why I like it. Ares and Cara are not relegated to simple referencing, they are active in the story, the other horsemen are not simply side characters again they are active and have their own agendas and themes. Please do not let this put you off, the stories are cleverly entwined and support the over all meaning.  


All of this sets you up for an exciting ending and a headlong rush straight into the arms of your book pimp where you order the next one. Trust me, you will like it!


I know, I am rambling, but those of you who read my reviews should be used to this by now! So bottom line, great characters, Limos and Arik are the stars and they make a great couple, he is growly and protective she is girly and fierce and kicks ass! Both their lives are uber complicated and get even more so, hidden secrets and evil fiances! All your favourite friends are their and the back story is set up for the next novel. I managed to read it in 2 days with a terrible cold- for me that is an achievement as normally I can't concentrate, but on this I could, I wanted too, I needed too!  Another great read from Larissa Ione! I was lucky enough to meet her at AAD last year and trust me, she is one of the nicest people.

I give Immortal Rider 5 frillies out of 5, a great read, and whilst you could read it as a standalone quite easily (it would make sense) a knowledge of the other books would help to bring out some of the subtle plot nuances. And did I mention it is HOT? Especially Thanatos! *wink* 

The Hunter: Reviewed

ARC Review from AAD

By Theresa Meyers

They're the Chosen—Winchester, Remington and Colt—brothers trained to hunt down supernatural beings using the latest steam-powered gadgetry. It's a hard legacy to shoulder, and it's about to get a lot more dangerous. . .

A Devil Of A Job

Colt Jackson has gotten his name on many a wanted poster with success in the family business: hunting supernaturals across the frontier. Lately, though, there's a sulfur stink in the wind and the Darkin population is exploding. A rift in the worlds is appearing. To close it, Colt will have to do the unthinkable and work with a demon to pass arcane boundaries no human alone can cross.

Except when he summons his demon, he doesn't get some horned monstrosity: he gets a curvy redheaded succubus named Lilly, who's willing to make a bargain to become human again. He also gets Lilly's secret expertise on the machinations on the dark side of the rift. And her charm and cleverness help to get them out of what his silver-loaded pistol and mechanical horse can't. Of course, when all hell breaks loose, he might have to sacrifice his soul. But what's adventure without a little risk?

The Hunter by Theresa Meyers. I was given the ARC of this book whilst I was at AAD this year, it was one of the ones shipped to me, so you can imagine they took a little longer to get to the UK, but get here they did and whilst I was packing for my holiday to Spain I made sure this went into my bag. A western steampunk circling round the lives of three brothers, I was intrigued! This was book 1 and following the story of the younger brother Colt.

I love westerns, I always have, I think I get it from my dad and sunday afternoons watching Bonanza (starts singing tune... Du du du dud ud...and pretends to be riding a horse) I love steampunk, so cowboys and steampunk... I was sold! I just hoped the book was as great as the premise.

DRUM ROLL!

And it was!! It is a GREAT BOOK!! I could have happily turned to the next instalment and carry on reading.

I do recommend that if you are looking for a new series or something just a little bit different the give this a try. The characters are captivating and garner our emotions and trust almost immediately. Colt starts this quite like your stereotypical cowboy but from the outset you know there is something different about him, an emerald surrounded by cut glass, his honesty and strength shine through. But he has never met anyone like Lilly.

Lilly I liked from the beginning. She was cute and funny and had purpose. someone with a hard life and a difficult background she made choices which allowed her to change her circumstances. I cheered her on from the beginning! Colt truly has never met anyone like her before and she makes a lasting impression, one which raises his blood pressure and makes him feel thongs he has never felt for a woman before. Her quick wit and refusal to just accept her gender role make her an engaging character who we want to see more of.

And yes they are hot for each other *nudge nudge wink wink* not in an I am always gonna try and get into your pants way, but in a sexy desperate and romantic way. So if you fancy a little spicy sausage stay tuned to this book.

The side characters are great too, particularly Colt's brothers and the scientific brains- Murphy. His brothers HEAs are possibly introduced in the book and you are eager to see where their journeys take them in their concurrent tales.

A great read, full of passion, romance, fantasy and steampunk. I give The Hunter 5 frillies out of 5 and I hope you all run out and buy a copy or someone takes pity on me and sends the next one. If you like cowboys, steampunk and supernatural, trust me you'll love it!

Darker Still: Reviewed

ADD ARC

by Leanna Renee Hieber

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...
Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

From the back cover:

“I was obsessed. It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I’d ever seen. Everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable-- utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike. There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide. He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame. I’ve crossed over into his world within the painting and I’ve seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked- bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. And unless I can free him soon, things will only get darker still..."

How could I resist? Pride and Prejudice and Dorian Grey are two of my favourite classic tales (The Literary Cannon has its uses! hehehee) However when I was given this ARC I was not the first member of my family to read it! Minxy Mummy said that looks good and snaffled it out from under my nose and took it home! I had to go and steal it back from her. I did allow her to read it though, because I am nice like that, and she thought it was ' really good' which is Mum language for I loved it. Which is good, because I finished it this morning and I agree, I loved it!

It is great and a unique idea, a young girl to save a man trapped in a painting and love blossoms, add to that  supernatural beliefs of different nations, demons and spirits and I am sold! The characters are well crafted and believable, Natalie is sincere and innocent and we watch her grow as a person as the novel develops, she becomes a heroine in the true sense of the word, battling evil whist shaking in her boots but refusing to give in. Danbury is gallant and a gentleman, but with a passionate edge that shows you he would be an interesting man to know. In some sense he is a man led by his passions, but one who had learned that to follow blindly will lead to disaster. Now he has a passion for Natalie, and his freedom.

The supporting characters are equally intriguing, particularly Mrs Northe and her niece Maggie. I am wondering how they will develop in future novels, some lovely teasers were dropped into this book, I want to know more about Mr Bentrop, why was he in Egypt, why did he want the painting so much? I could be way off the mark, but I do want to know more. I do love it when a story is resolved but leaves the reader wondering and further questions. To me that is the sign of a great read.

I don't read and recommend much YA, but I do recommend this, why? Firstly is is great and well written with believable characters which give an insight into to the supernatural superstitions of Victoriana, secondly because the appeal is generational, from 12 to 92. Lets put it this way Minxy Mummy is in her 60s and she loved it. I loved it. I hope everybody loves it.

Ok, ramble time usually means I need to finish this off, so here goes, Darker Still is a great read by a talented author and I hope it becomes a modern classic! There, I said it. I hope all who read the book, enjoy it as much as I did. I give it 5 frillies out of 5!

One Grave at a Time: Reviewed

own purchase

by Jeaniene Frost

The grave is one wrong step away.

Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving--leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit.

Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity--forever. But how do you kill a killer who's already long dead?

I do love me a Cat and Bones books, and this is a great Cat and Bones book, plot driven rather thn relationship driven this one takes on a wild ride through their lives, giving snippets of things to come and a fantastic battle against ghosts. We meet old friends, make new friends, have the blindfold whipped off our face when we are tricked and smile when Cat and Bones make time for each other.

For me this is one of the best in the series (and again, if you have not read any of the others you could read this as a stand alone) Cat and Bones are asked to help Elizabeth, a ghost friend of Fabian, rid the world of Heinrich Kramer. Kramer tried her for a wicth and killer her and even though he is dead, he is still doing it, Elizabeth has tried for years to stop him, but can not. Cat and Bones agree to help, but this is only one story in the book, the other involves Don and a new character Madigan. Madigan is well known to Don, but there are secrets about their past together which Don seems unwilling to share. With Don haunting Madigan at the compaound we hear snippets of what is probably a plot to come and it is an intriguing plot!

Cat and Bones are a sexy as ever, passion and turmoil seems to swirl around them but they make it look good! The plot is tight and intriguing, we have new side characters, Tyler (a medium) in particular who is creative and extremely funny, especially when discussing sexy vampires. But for me it is Ian who steals the show in some sense as he does get the best lines, it also allows us to try and get to know him better. I do love how Bones, Spade and Ian interact with each other, a friendship and loyalty which transends personalities, very much like family.

I realise I am rambling now, but I truly do not want to spoil someones joy of watching the story unfold and figuring out the secrets, or laughing out loud and one of the many oneliners.

A great read! Engaging and exciting. I give it 4.5 frillies out of 5.

Archangel's Blade: Reviewed

own purchase

By Nalini Singh

The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting...and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more...

Part of the Guild Hunter series but if you have never read any before this novel is easily read as a stand alone, and trust me it is worth reading! Dmitri, Dmitri, Dmitri.... I want a Dmitri! Actually if I had we would fight a lot because I can be downright awkward but I believe the making up would be worth it! As you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have enjoyed the whole series and liked Dmitri from the beginning, it was his sarcasm and protective nature which drew me and the sexy and dangerous exterior just made him a multifaceted character I wanted to know more about. In Archangel's Blade Dmitri is laid bare for all to see and his is a wonderful tale of loss, violence, hardship, passion, protection and a love that defies the rules.

Honor is a great character and a reflection of Dmitri, if that makes sense. Dmitri appears to be strong but as the novel goes on we realise the secret he hides and how emotionally fractured he can be, Honor appears to be fractured but inside we find she had a core of iron which has held strong through all the hardship and abuse she has endured. They fit, perfectly, and whilst Dmitri is instantly attracted Honor wants nothing to do with him, or any vampire. One of my favourite scenes is when he tells her to look at a painting to see what his type of women is, when she looks it up and sees the woman, she may as well be looking in the mirror. It is a fantastic scene.

A great multi layers story from Singh, on one level you have the action plot of who is murdering the vampires, beneath that you have the mystery plot of who kidnapped Honor, under that you have the plot of who is honor, and layered between all of them, linking and surrounding all the themes is the growing relationship between Honor and Dmitri. Meeting up again Holly Chang who was kidnapped in the first novel allowed us to see what was going on and how she may develop for future novels, meeting Honor also allowed us to meet more of the hunters, Ashwini in particular and I am keen to see how they both develop as characters. Of course Raphael and Elena both feature in the book, as do Bluebell and Venom so no fear about missing your favourite characters.

This is a fast paced book which grabs and holds your attention until the end, for me, definitely a keeper. Yes you do kinda figure out the connection between Dmitri and Honor, but I believe we are supposed to and the knowledge only makes us understand the power of true love.

A great read I give 5 frilly knickers to.